Some time after, the dog accidentaly met the murderer, instantly seized him by the throat, and was with the greatest difficulty compelled to loose his hold. As the dog continued to follow and attack the man, though kind and gentle to all others, his actions began to attract notice and comment.
At last the affair reached the king's ear. He sent for the dog, who seemed very gentle till he saw the murderer, when he ran at him fiercely, growling and snapping at him as usual.
The king, struck with the strange behavior of the noble animal, decided to refer the decision to the chance of battle. In other words, he gave orders for a combat between the assassin and the dog. The lists were appointed, and the man was allowed for his weapon a great cudgel.
An empty cask was given to the dog as a place of retreat, to give him a chance to recover his breath. The dog, finding himself at liberty ran round his adversary, avoiding his blows, and threatening him on every side, till his strength was exhausted; then springing forward, he gripped him by the throat, threw him on the ground, and made him confess before the king and the whole court. The assassin was afterward convicted and beheaded.
The following is an instance of the wonderful cunning shown by the Raccoon. It is very fond of crabs, and when in quest of them, will stand by the side of a swamp, and hang its tail over into the water. The crabs, mistaking the tail for food, are sure to lay hold of it; and as soon as the sly beast feels them pinch, he pulls them out with a sudden jerk. He then takes them to a little distance from the water's edge, and in eating them, is careful to get them crossways in his mouth, lest he should suffer from their nippers.
Various have been the opinions upon the difference of speed between a well-bred greyhound and a racehorse, if opposed to each other. Wishes had been often expressed by the sporting world that some standard could be adopted by which the superiority of speed could be fairly ascertained, when the following incident happened, and afforded some information upon what had before been considered a matter of great uncertainty. In the month of December, 1800 a match was to have been run over Doncaster racecourse for one hundred guineas, but one of the horses being withdrawn, a mare started alone, that by running the ground she might ensure the wager. After having run about a mile in the four, she was joined by a greyhound, which leaped into the course from one side, and entering into the competition, continued to race with the mare for the other three miles, keeping nearly head and head, and affording an excellent treat to the field by the energetic exertions of each. At passing the distance post five to four was bet in favor of the greyhound; when parallel with the stand it was even betting, and any person might have taken his choice from five to ten. The mare, however, had the advantage by a head at the end of the race.